"Floor 66" by Jacki Austin

I walked out of the security room to the elevator. Once at the elevator I removed the sign, pushed the button and waited for the elevator to arrive from the top floor. As the bell rang, signaling the arrival of the elevator, I threw the sign away and then stepped inside.

Inside the elevator I pressed the button for the 66^th floor, the restricted floor. The elevator made no move until I flipped up the button panel and entered my stolen code. Then I was in motion. At about the 36^th floor a voice cut through the elevator music and said, “Miss Bane, everything is in place.  The target should be joining you on the 45^th floor. Also, remember that between floor 40 and 43 we have to turn the cameras on so stay hid.” Elevator music again, I grinned.

            I glanced at the top of the elevator and then at the front.  Floor 40, the light in the back left corner flickered then went out, the corner in which I was standing. Dressed in dark clothes with my head down, no one could see me.  Or at least that is what I led Janice, my contractor, to believe.  In truth could stand that in the brightest yellow in the world and no one would see me.  My elf blood, from my mother, gave me many abilities that I felt were better known only by me.  My stealth and sneak abilities were two of them.  I remained completely still until the 44^th floor. One more floor to go. I changed my posture slightly and switched my briefcase to my right hand.

            Floor 45. I had my poker face on. A short, well built man in an expensive suit stepped onto the elevator. He watched the door close not knowing that it closing sealed his fate. I studied the man for a few minute. As I did I felt my hate for him rise, my hate for all mankind rise.

            “Hello,” the man said politely, almost too much so.

            “Well met,” I greeted him indifferently.

            Since I was staring ahead, this man though I could not see him eyeing me. I turned my head slowly and winked at him. Stunned, but obviously flattered, he wrongly took that as a sign to start talking again.

            “You, uh, look very nice today,” He stammered.

            “I know… I am dressed to kill, wouldn’t you say?” I coolly retorted

            “Dressed to kill…um…hmmm…well I never really understood that saying. But… you do look very attractive.”

            “Um-hmmm.”

            “So, what is your name? Mine’s Kevin.”

            In my head I thought, “Perfect this is the target.” All that I did say aloud was, “Gwyneth.”

            “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

            “I am sure it is,” I said grinning evilly.

            Floor 50, the elevator should “get stuck” on either floor 55 of 56. If it stops on floor 55, I have up to a half an hour to get my job done, and get out of here. On the other hand, if it stopped on 56 the most I could hope for was ten minutes.

            Janice, my contractor, is quite a mastermind; she worked this job out perfectly. This elevator is currently marked “Out of Order” on all floors except the 1^st and the 45^th floor. On those floors the signs will be replaced after this is over. Since the building’s owner was the one that hired me, there would be no dodging security.  The plan was perfect, almost too perfect.  That was when I noticed his odd looking briefcase.

            As I pressed the red button on my watch to alert my comrades that things might not go as planned, this so called Kevin said lustfully, “So, how do you manage to look so wonderful? Where do you get those extraordinary clothes?”

            I looked down at my clothes. I had on mid-calf, black leather boots, leather pants, and a dark, satin, purple blouse with the first few buttons undone. My light blonde hair was layer to cover up my pointy ears.  I wore no visible accessories, save my watch. They only got in the way. I saw nothing about my clothes that would be extraordinary to the man standing next to me so I said “A gift, I guess.”

            “Some gift”

            We were almost to the 55^th floor. I kept a close but concealed eye on this briefcase, knowing full well what was in it and it wasn’t paper. Floor 56 is where the elevator stopped. That meant I only had ten minutes to dispose of this scum and vanish. Normally that would have been fine. If this had been some guy off the street, like we had planned, it would be no problem. This was no guy off the street. This was a fellow assassin. I could tell by the look on his face I was his target.  Assessing him quickly, I decided that he was a young, inexperienced, cocky man.  All of these things were to my advantage.

            At this time, he began to fumble with briefcase, with his back turned to me. For a second I wondered if I was to be his first kill. I couldn’t imagine being stupid enough to turn your back on someone. Didn’t matter though, I had to move fast if he got the briefcase open or if I ran out of time things would not be pretty for me.

            I walked over to the corner where he was. I set the briefcase down. With my right hand I grabbed my concealed boot knife, with my left hand I wrapped my arm around him playing with his tie. It’s the perfect distraction.

             I leaned forward, licked his ear and whispered, “Who sent you?”

            Just as the word “what?” began to escaped from his mouth I slit his throat and pushed him forward, as to not get any blood on me.

            I grabbed my rag from my right boot, cleaned my knife and replaced everything. I retrieved my briefcase, and climbed out of the top of the elevator to freedom.